North West Highlands Geopark (2016) North West Highlands Geopark Geodiversity Audit and Action Plan 2013–2016
Additional notes: These web pages are sourced from the PDF North West Highlands Geopark Geodiversity Audit and Action Plan 2013–2016
NWHG Ref. 050 — Loch Sionascaig
Location, grid reference and photograph
Loch Sionascaig is a large remote loch lying within Inverpolly, roughly halfway between the A 835 and the west coast, Grid Ref.
GCR site reference, block, volume and notified feature of SSSI?
GCR Ref. 2747, Quaternary Block, Vol, 6. Notified feature of Inverpolly SSSI.
Description and geological significance
The sediments on the bed of Loch Sionascaig and in a bog on the central island of Eilean Mor provide detailed pollen records, supported by radiocarbon dating, of vegetational changes in Scotland during the Lateglacial and Holocene (particularly important for the environmental changes it demonstrates). Loch Sionascaig is therefore an important reference site for reconstructing the environmental history of north-west Scotland during the last 13,000 years.
Accessibility
The site is many kilometres distant from the nearest road and is effectively inaccessible to the general public, requiring a very lengthy walk over difficult and arduous terrain.
Conservation
The important features occur on the loch bed and on the central island. There are no conservation requirements.
Visibility and “clarity”
The key features are only visible to specialists with suitable facilities and sampling equipment.
Interpretation and interpretation potential
There are no current interpretation facilities and the remote location and nature of the key features do not lend themselves to interpretation panels. Nonetheless, the site could be incorporated within a Geopark long-distance walking guide. There is a potential as an educational resource for students of Quaternary geology and physical geography.
Key references
BIRKS, H.J.B. 1993. Loch Sionascaig In Gordon, J. E. & Sutherland, D. G. (eds) Quaternary of Scotland. Geological Conservation Review Series, 6, Chapman and Hall, London, 137–143.